There has been an increased interest in the use of a storage support device for vehicles, such as mini-vans and sport-utility type vehicles. These vehicles have a rear lifting hatch or rear opening doors and a rear storage compartment, which provides room for using a storage support device in the rear storage compartment. Examples of known devices include the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,962 titled "Security Trunk for Support Utility Vehicles." The 962 patent describes a removable security trunk for a vehicle having a rear access opening with a width that is less than the width of vehicle's rear cargo compartment. The security trunk in the 962 patent has a top panel that extends across the vehicle's rear cargo compartment and is supported by two vertical partitions spaced apart to provide three separate cargo compartments. Another example of such a storage device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,183 titled "Vehicular Compartmentalizer Unit." The 183 patent is directed toward a free-standing storage unit adapted for installation in a vehicle having an interior cargo receiving area. The 183 patent unit includes a platform that has a hinge trap door and an underlying supportive wall. The trap door provides access to one or more storage compartments.
The above-described storage devices and other currently known devices, however, do not provide for a vehicle storage support device that is adjustable in height and length without the use of any tools, and which can be folded to become portable and compact. The currently known devices do not disclose or suggest a vehicle storage support device that can be quickly adjusted to cover the interior width of the rear storage compartment thus allowing for items to be placed on top or below of the storage device. The currently known devices also do not suggest or disclose a vehicle storage support device that can be quickly removed from the vehicle and folded for storage or be placed on the floor of the rear storage compartment.
Further, the currently known devices do not disclose or suggest a vehicle storage support device that when folded or collapsed, has an approximate thickness of 11/2 inches. Additionally, the currently known devices do not describe a vehicle storage support device that can be adjusted in height without the use of tools and which has an adjustable range from approximately 10 to 30 inches. This height adjustment of 20 inches is approximately the width of two suitcases thereby allowing for two suitcases to be placed under the device's top platform.
Accordingly, there is a need for a vehicle storage support device that has an easy adjustable height and length, which allows the device to conform to the side-to-side width of the rear storage compartment of the vehicle. The length of such a vehicle storage support device can be extended such that its length ranges from approximately 30 to 58 inches. The complete side-to-side length adjustment of such vehicle storage support device is important as it provides for a portable, non-permanent installation of the device while ensuring a semi-secure installation of the device. This is because the device can be placed in the vehicle and use the interior sides of the vehicle's rear storage compartment to help support and keep the device in place.
Thus, it is among the objects of the invention to provide a vehicle storage support device that is easily adjustable in height and length, and can be folded for easy removal or storage.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle storage support device that is easy to manufacture and use.